Method and apparatus for weaving loop pile fabrics



F. P. GROAT May 20, 1958 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING LOOP PILE FABRICS Filed June 4, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I;IIIII (III/II INVENTOR. fianqzs J? Grant M F. P. GROAT May 20, 1958 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING LOOP PILE FABRICS F 4 a 2/ m 2 6 a w QV m m s w M m, e m 4 m 2 4 Q N 0 2M z a a MD m w 9 l e m G e l i F HTTORNEY.

F. P. GROAT May 20, 1958 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING LOOP FILE FABRICS Filed June 4, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY INVENTOR.

HTTORNEY- F. P. GROAT May 20, 1958 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING LOOP FILE FABRICS Filed June 4. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HTTORNEY.

, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING LOOP PILE FABRICS Francis P. Groat, Bloomsburg, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Eigelow-Sanford Carpet Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 4, 1953, Serial No. 359,483

3 Claims. (Cl. 139-38 This invention relates to a method and apparatus for weaving loop pile fabrics in which a series of needle bars having hooked needles of varying lengths are employed to raise portions of pile warps to form loops of different heights in accordance with a pattern.

It is an object of the invention to provide needle bars having a plurality of hooked needles of different lengths arranged in accordance with a pattern, a series of the needle bars being supported by a carrier chain and a transfer mechanism for successively removing the needle bars from the carrier chain and moving them to a position so the hooked needles engage and raise portions of pilewarps to form loops of different heights.

In accordance with my invention I provide a series of needle bars, each bar having a plurality of hooked needles varying in length, arranged in accordance with a pattern,

the needle bars being removably mounted on a carrier chain and intermittently moved into position for engagement with a transfer mechanism which removes the needle bar from the carrier chain and transfers it to a position so that the hooked needles engage pile warps raised by warp needles and then pulls the pile warps to form loops of dilferent heights which are held in place by the usual weft shots and binder chain threads. After formation of the pile loops the hooked needles are disengaged from the loops and the needle bar is returned tothe carrier chain by the transfer mechanism which then transfers the next needle baron the carrier chain to loopforming position to form the next weftwise row of loops in the fabric.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. l is a diagrammatic view of a loom showing my improvements,

Fig. 2 is a detail side view showing the position of the needle bar when the first weft shot is inserted in the fabric,

Fig. 3 is a detail side view showing the position of the needle bar when the reed is moved to force the weft into the fabric, i

Fig. 4 is a detail side view showing the position of the needle bar and warp threads when the second weft shot is inserted in the fabric,

Fig. 5 is a detail side view showing the position of the needle bar when the third weft shot is inserted in the fabric,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the needle bar,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front elevation view of one end of the needle bar, and,

Fig. 8 is a detail vertical sectional view of the suspension arm of the needle bar and clutch of the transfer mechanism. a t

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the transfer mech- 2,835,277 Patented May 20, 1958,

anism for moving the needle bars to a loop forming position,

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary top plan view of the transfer mechanism, and, i

Fig. ll is a detail view of a part of the mechanism. In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration I have shown a preferred example of the invention, the

numeral 5 denotes generally a needle bar which supports a plurality of hooked needles 6 of varying lengths. The needles are removably mounted on the bar, in spaced apart relation, by a clamping plate 7 attached to the bar by bolts 8 or other suitable fasteners. The hooked ends 9 of the needles depend from the lower edge of the bar anddue to the different lengths of the needles, the hooked ends of the longer needles will project below the edge of the bar to a greater extent than the hookedends of the shorter needles. It is, of course, apparent the needles may be all the same length and adjustably secured to the bar sothe hooked ends of some needles project from the edge of the bar to a greater extent than others. The needle bar at each end is provided with a bracket 10 formed with a chain engaging arm 11 and a spring suspension arm 12 by means of which the bar is removably suspended from a carrier chain 13. The carrier chain is of the type commonly used with Axminster looms and supports a series of the needle bars, as shown in Fig. 1.

The carrier chain is trained around sprocket wheels 14 and is intermittently moved to successively move the needle bars to a position for engagement with the transfer mechanism described hereinafter.

The backing of the fabric comprises binder warps 1 8 stulfer warps 19 and chain warps 20, which are controlled in the usual manner by heddles 21 to form the sheds to receive the double weft shots 22. Pile warps 23 are interwoven with the weft shots and are supplied from a creel or beam 32. The pile warps pass through the eyes of pile warp needles 24 which reciprocate in a vertical plane. The shank of the pile warp needles have and then by shifting the pile warp needles laterally the pile warps are engaged in the hooked ends, as shown in Fig. 2. With the ground warps and pile warps in the,

position shown in Fig. 2, the first double weft shot is inserted between the chain and binder warps. After insertion of the wefts, the reed 30 moves forward to force the weft into the fabric as shown in Fig. 3. As

the fabric is woven it is wound on a take up roll 31.'

In the position shown in Fig. 3 the pile warps are still engaged in the hooked ends of the loop forming needles. 6 and are being looped by downward movement of the.

pilewarp needles 24 which carry the pile warps to the position shown in Fig. 4 while the chain Warp is being: moved down and the stutter and binder warps raised to form the shed for insertion of the second double weft shot.

chain by the transfer mechanism. With the, binder Warp raised and thestuffer, chain and pile warps down, a,

shed is formed for insertion of the third double weft After the second weft shot is forced into the fabric by movement of the reed, the needle bar 5 is 3 shot, as shown in Fig. 5. Thus, it is seen that by transferring each needle bar 5 from the carrier chain to a loop forming position and manipulating the warp and weft threads while the pile warps are held in loop form by the hooked needles 6 of the needle bar a weftwise row of loops is formed in the fabric with the loops being of different heights due to the difference in the length of the needles. By various arrangements of the different length needles on each needle bar it is possible to weave fabrics of any type pattern with loops of different heights.

The transfer mechanism for successively moving the needle bars from the carrier chain to a loop forming position is shown in Figs. 9, l0 and ll and is similar in construction and operation to the tube frame transfer mechanism of an Axminster loom. The mechanism includes clutches 17 for engaging the ends of the needle bars, operable to disengage the needle bars from the carrier chain and then move them to various loop forming positions. Each clutch 17 is pivotally mounted, as at 36, on the forward end of an arm 37 to swing forward and backward. The forward and backward movement of the clutch is controlled by reciprocation of rod 38 pivotally connected, as at 39, to the clutch. Arm 37, intermediate its length, is pivotally mounted on pivot bolt 40 mounted in the forward end of rocker arm 41. Rocker arm 41 at its rear end is attached to tubular shaft 42 journaled on shaft 43. The rocker arm 41 is moved up and down by connecting rod 44 having its upper end pivotally connected thereto, as at 45, and its lower end pivotally connected to a cam lever 46 pivotally mounted on shaft 47. Cam lever 46 carries a projection 47 which contacts the periphery of cam wheel 48 having a suitable contour to impart to the cam lever 46 a motion which Will oscillate the rocker arm 41 to move the arm 37 supporting the needle bar up and down.

The inner end of rod 38 is pivotally connected at 49 to a crank arm 50 extending from shaft 51 and another crank arm 52 extending from shaft 51 is pivotally connected, at 53, to the upper end of connecting rod 54. A lever 55 pivotally suspended by a bracket 56 from cam lever 46 has its forward end pivotally connected at 57, to the lower end of connecting rod 54. A roller 58 journalled on lever 55 contacts the periphery of cam wheel 59 which has a contour to actuate the lever 55 so as to impart to the rod 38 a-reciprocating movement which swings the clutch 17 forward and backward on the pivot 36.

The mechanism for swinging the arms 37 in a horizontal plane to move the clutches 17 into and out of engagement with the ends of the needle bar includes a pair of rods 60 and 61 pivotally connected at 62. and 63 to the arms 37. The rods extend towards each other in parallel relation to tubular shaft 42 on opposite sides thereof and are respectively pivotally connected to arms 64 :and 65 extending in opposite directions from post 66 pivotally mounted on shaft 67 extending from tubular shaft 42. The free end of arm 64 is pivotally connected to a bar 68 extending in parallel relation to rod 60 having at its free end a slot 69 to receive the upper end of hell crank lever 70, shown in Fig. ll. The bell crank lever is pivotally mounted at 71 and has its lower end pivotally connected at 72 to the upper end of connecting rod 73. The lower end of connecting rod 73 is pivotally attached at 74 to cam lever 75 which is pivotally mounted on shaft 47. A roller 76 mounted on cam lever 75 contacts the periphery of cam wheel 77 which has a contour adapted to raise and lower cam lever 75 which through connecting rod 73, bell crank lever and bar 68 turns the arms 64 and 65 in opposite directions to move rods 60 and 61 in an outward direction. The outward movement of rods 60 and 61 swing the arms 37 laterally to move the clutches 17 inwardly to engage the ends of the needle bar. Springs 78, 79 extending between arms 64 and 65 and arms 37 actuate the arms to move the rods 60 and 61 in an inward direction 4 to swing the arms 37 in the opposite direction to move the clutches outwardly to release the needle bar.

In operation, the transfer mechanism is adapted to release the needle bars from the carrier chain and convey each needle bar to a loop forming position while at the same time manipulating the needle bar to engage and disengage the hooked needles with the pile warps. At the start the clutches 17 are swung laterally by movement of the arms 37 into engagement with the endsof the needle bar 5 which releases the spring suspension arm 12 to detach the needle bar from the carrier chain 13. After the clutches grip the ends of the needle bar, the arms 37 swing downwardly moving the needle bar towards the raised pile warps and as the needles approach the pile warps they are swung forwardly by movement of the rod 38 so the needles assume the position shown in Fig. 2. After the hooked ends of the needles engage the pile warps the arm 37 moves the clutches to swing the needle bar to a perpendicular position shown in Fig. 3. After the loop is formed and the weft shots are inserted, the arm 37 and rod 38 are actuated to swing the needle bar downwardly and forwardly to disengage thehooked ends of the needles frornthe loops, as shown in Fig. 5. The arms 37 then swing upwardly to return the needle bar to the carrier chain and upon engagement of the suspension arms 12 with the carrier chain, the arms 37 swing laterally to release the clutches whereupon the carrier chain is moved to bring the next needle bar into position for engagement by the clutches 17 at the beginning of the next cycle of the operation of the loom.

It is apparent the particular weave of the fabric backing is a conventional Axminster weave and other weaves for the backing may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention. By means of applicants particular needle bars, with needles of various lengths, a conventional Axminster loom may be easily converted to produce fabrics having pile loops of different heights which heretofore has not been possible with looms of this type.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A carpet loom including means for interweaving binder warps and pile warps with wefts to produce a pile fabric, in combination with a series of needle bars, each bar having a plurality of hooked needles depending from said bar to varying extents, a carrier chain on which said needle bars are removably mounted, a transfer mechanism for successively removing said needle bars from said carrier chain and moving said bar to a position so the hooked needles enter the spaces between the raised pile warps, means for laterally shifting the raised pile warps to engage the warps with the hooked ends of said needles whereby portions of the pile warps are held raised during the insertion of the weft shots to form loopsof varying heights, said transfer mechanism being operable to disengage the hooked needles from the formed loops and return said needle bar to said carrier chain.

2. A carpet loom including means for interweaving binder warps and pile warps with wefts to produce a pile fabric in combination with a plurality of needle bars,

- each bar having a plurality of hooked needles projecting from the bar to varying extents in accordance with a pattern, a transfer mechanism including clutches for gripping and conveying said needle bars to position the needles in engaging position with the pile warps, means for shifting the pile warps laterally with respect to said needles and means for oscillating said clutches to move the needle bars to engage and disengage the hooked ends of the needles with and from the pile warps.

3. A carpet loom including means for interweaving binder warps and pile warps with wefts to produce a pile fabric, in combination with a plurality of needle bars,- each bar having a plurality of hooked needles projecting from the bars to varying extents in accordance with a pattern, vertical reciprocating means for successively moving said needle bars to insert the needles in the space between the pile warps, means for oscillating the needle bars to position the needles in hook engaging relation to the pile warps, and means for shifting the pile warps laterally to engage the warps in the hooks of the needles, said oscillating means being operable to move said needle bars to raise portions of said pile warps to form Weftwise rows of loops of different heights.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS St. Jean Sept. 2, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain July 7, 1927 

